Recent months have seen a rekindling of the abortion wars, particularly in Catholic political rhetoric. In the process, we have seen that master narratives about abortion from both the Left and the Right can be equally pernicious. This spring’s controversy at Notre Dame offered a clear glimpse of the Right’s master narrative, which equates Catholic … Continue reading
This spring has been marked by both heartbreak and hope for many U.S. Catholics. The heartbreak came as, in the name of Catholic faith, too many bishops joined their voices to the protest against the University of Notre Dame’s recent honoring of President Obama. I call this heartbreaking because the actions of these bishops helped … Continue reading
But the true embarrassment for Catholics is that the leaders of our Church are buying into this misleading and harmful rhetoric, and thereby lending it false legitimacy….Politicizing Catholic identity harms not only our Church, but also our nation and, in this increasingly globalized society, our world. Continue reading
The value in understanding the rhetoric at work in the Notre Dame controversy is not limited to one commencement address; this situation points to a larger cultural issue, both in the Catholic Church and in American society. Continue reading